Canadian
MANTA PF2
Basel, Switzerland
|
20
Published: 2026-11-10
The new version of the MANTA velomobile camper is ready to be shown.
This time I reworked the vehicle after the Sun Trip Sahara 2024. There is a new landing gear mechanism and a new steering now.
MANTA Pathfinder 2 still combines the weather protection of a velomobile with the handling of a two-wheeler. It is a fully enclosed cabin on two inline wheels: 220 × 62 × 141 cm, and 55 kg without accessories. The polycarbonate windshield has an electric wiper, and the side openings give weather protection with good ventilation.
Grin it to win it :-)
Landing gear
The landing gear is now lever-operated. I use it for stability when starting and stopping, or when moving at very low speed, so my feet do not have to touch the ground. It takes some practice to take off and land smoothly. There are also side cutouts, so you can still put a foot down while learning the sequence.
Steering
The steering is new as well: an indirect under-handlebar setup, used together with a removable ICE Adventure seat.
Drivetrain
The drive is a Grin All-Axle V3 front hub motor, rated 250 W, with a Cycle Analyst as the main control and a phone mount next to it. Pedalling goes through a chain to a Shimano Alfine 11-speed internal gear hub (ratio range 0.5 to 2). Braking is by mechanical disc brakes plus regenerative braking from the motor. The wheels are Schwalbe Super Moto-X 20 × 2.40". The battery is a 1,500 Wh, 52 V pack with 21700 lithium-ion cells.
Solar charging and range
A 120 Wp solar roof with an MPPT charger is integrated into the vehicle. From a full battery the range is 150 km, and the roof adds about 10 km per hour of sunshine while riding. An optional foldable solar panel can add about 50 km of range per hour during breaks. For camping there is also a V2X connection to power a solar cooker.
Sleeping and camping
The interior can be converted into a protected sleeping space. The seat comes out, and a subdivided 200 × 60 cm cold-foam mattress goes in. Side doors made of tent fabric provide the necessary privacy and protection from rain.
